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Welcome to the Food Column with our resident expert on all things Thai and making everyday ingredients taste fantastic, Carol Taylor.

This week Carol shares a Valentine’s Dinner that you can prepare for your loved one… providing just the right romantic vibe and privacy in the comfort of your own home.

Staying in for Valentine’s Day by Carol Taylor

Who still gets taken out on Valentine’s Day?? I never have my husband has always said you are not my Valentine you are my wife… When the kids got older they used to nag him until he bought me something…

So for everyone who is staying in either because of the weather or just because a few suggestions and recipes…

For starters, if it is chilly where you live or because you love soup then a lovely bowl of tomato soup with heart-shaped croutons is just the thing.

Or do a lovely heart shaped swirl with some soured cream which would look very pretty.

If you are seafood lovers then a lovely seafood platter is easy to do and looks quite spectacular.

Some smoked salmon, a few plump mussels, lovely grilled prawns, soft squid there is so much lovely seafood to choose from just a little of each arranged on a platter with maybe a nice drizzle of seafood sauce or a chilli sauce.

This quick little soy sauce is a nice to drizzle …just finely cut a clove of garlic and a small piece of fresh ginger, fry in a small pan , stirring to release the flavours add scant tbsp soy sauce and half to one tbsp honey stirring and cook for 2 mins, sometimes I add a squeeze of lime..just taste and play with the flavours. Then drizzle as pictured…

Main course:

This chicken dish is one we make often and it is quick and easy and served with rice or potatoes and some lightly steamed vegetables it is very nice.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess flour.

In a large skillet over a medium high heat add 3 tbsp olive oil. When the oil starts to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes.

When the chicken is browned, flip and cook the other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When oil starts to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in the same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate, set to one side.

Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock, capers and garlic.

Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavour.

Check for seasoning and add lemon slices and parsley.

Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5/10 minutes depending on the size of breasts. Remove chicken to a platter.

Serve with boiled rice or potatoes of your choice and steamed broccoli and cauliflower.

Valentines Dessert

This is where I am normally too full for anything else but if you fancy a dessert…Then chocolate covered strawberries are very nice…

Simple but effective and easy to do either pre do them and keep them in the fridge or if you have a fondue set then go for it and do it at the table…

Or a lovely strawberry mimosa…Just blend 2 cups of strawberries with half a cup of water and then strain through a sieve. Chill.

Pop a strawberry in the bottom of a champagne flute, half fill with the strained strawberries and carefully top up with your favourite champers…Garnish with a fresh strawberry and there you have it… Strawberry Mimosa…

Or using the same strawberry puree then a lovely Daiquiri… will go down very nicely…

Happy Valentine’s Day… What will you be making or does your other half cook???

Until next week…Thank you for reading this post …Stay safe, have fun and laugh a lot!

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetables ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use have to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

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About Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.

My name is Sally Cronin and I am doing what I love.. Writing. Books, short stories, Haiku and blog posts. My previous jobs are only relevant in as much as they have gifted me with a wonderful filing cabinet of memories and experiences which are very useful when putting pen to paper. I move between non-fiction health books and posts and fairy stories, romance and humour. I love variety which is why I called my blog Smorgasbord Invitation and you will find a wide range of subjects. You can find the whole story here.
Find out more at https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/about-me/

Reblogged this on Retired? No one told me! and commented:
I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to mention Valentine’s day but for those who are staying in and just want a lovely personal meal with their loved one or just want to skip the main and go for dessert … xxx

My father loved his desserts and would always check them out before deciding on his main course. Even after twenty years we always say on viewing the puds.. Eric would have liked those… lovely menu Carol. xxx

HaHa..Dolly..no tricks it was in my head to type just didn’t compute to the text even when I read it back umpteen times..but Sally to rescue she popped it in for me… x and thank you Dolly for your kind comment 🙂

Not in my hubbies eyes, Debby he starts quoting the origins at me… He hasn’t got a romantic bone in his body… I am used to it by now…I agree we should be treated as both but hey ho you can’t have everything can you? xxx